What was your favorite deployment and why?

SGT Andrew Dejesus — Mon, 11 Sep 2017 16:54:39 -0400

Response by PFC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 11 at 2017 4:57 PM

PFC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 11 Sep 2017 16:57:23 -0400

2013 deployment USS Enterprise hit up some cool ports. Especially Palma De Majorca Spain.

Response by Sgt Wayne Wood made Sep 11 at 2017 5:02 PM

Sgt Wayne Wood — Mon, 11 Sep 2017 17:02:23 -0400

2 years in WESTPAC then a "break" at MCRD PISC then back to WESTPAC.

Wouldn't trade WESTPAC for anything

Response by SFC Andrew Miller made Sep 11 at 2017 5:09 PM

SFC Andrew Miller — Mon, 11 Sep 2017 17:09:35 -0400

2001, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Favorite, because my then future wife and I were deployed together. We were engaged prior to the deployment and were married after. We may or may not have found some time for conjugal visits. It wasn't difficult considering they had us in 5 bedroom villas. The ugly of it, because I was there on this day in 2001 and watched the 2nd plane hit on AFN news after just getting out of a platoon sergeant meeting. I had one other Saudi deployment, but between those, Tikrit and Kandahar, the 2001 deployment was the best.

Response by SSG Steven Mangus made Sep 11 at 2017 5:22 PM

SSG Steven Mangus — Mon, 11 Sep 2017 17:22:57 -0400

I would have to say operation kangaroo 1995. Darwin, Australia was kick ass. I would go back in a minute..

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 11 at 2017 6:16 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 11 Sep 2017 18:16:02 -0400

My last one to deployment to Afghanistan. It was in support of TF 7 (Ranger). I was a small compound within FOB FENTY. We all had our own rooms, our own stations (red & high side). We had our own gym and and DFAC. There had to be no more than 30 us on the whole compound. And the most important thing was that we all got to do our job without worrying about daily activities or responsibilities you would normally worry about because it was already done. Oh not to mention since it was in support of JSOC, I got to work with Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and a couple of 3-letter agencies

Response by WO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 11 at 2017 6:52 PM

WO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 11 Sep 2017 18:52:11 -0400

I hate them all

Response by Maj Kevin "Mac" McLaughlin made Sep 11 at 2017 7:13 PM

Maj Kevin "Mac" McLaughlin — Mon, 11 Sep 2017 19:13:43 -0400

In 1999 I was deployed to USAFE, in support of Allied Force and Northern Watch, to assess the cyber security of several Air Force bases/sites in Europe (Moron, Aviano, Cervia, Vicenza, Incirlik, and Ramstein). All because a fellow officer friend of mine pondered over a beer that there might be activity going on during these operations. The following week, my friend used the access he had to information/systems which helped us confirm that there was indeed cyber activity being directed at Aviano AB. We submitted this information up the chain and were soon told to respond, per the USAFE Commander. We deployed our team initially to Aviano, which lead to continued assessments of the other bases after the 4 star was pleased with our work. In the end I was selected to return yet again to brief the USAFE Commander on the final results.

While that one was definitely a great deployment, I still look fondly at them all (despite wanting to go home soon after arriving).

Response by SGT Philip Roncari made Sep 11 at 2017 8:18 PM

SGT Philip Roncari — Mon, 11 Sep 2017 20:18:08 -0400

Since I only had one and it lasted exactly ten months and fourteen days out of a possible three hundred and sixty five days ,I think you can see where I'm going here,definitely not my favorite deployment ,not by a long shot but ah the memories C rats,bugs ,snakes ,leeches, red ants,ruck sacks and seriously insane Asian fellas out to do you harm,definitely not my fav no sir!

Response by CPT Andrew Wright made Sep 11 at 2017 8:43 PM

CPT Andrew Wright — Mon, 11 Sep 2017 20:43:39 -0400

JTF Bravo in Honduras. Got to visit other Central and South American countries from there. Earned foreign jump wings. Got to go diving in the Gulf of Honduras (Utila). There were five clubs for only about five hundred soldiers and airmen. Cerveza was cold and cheap. Bimbo Bingo on Thursday nights!

Response by LTC Jason Mackay made Sep 11 at 2017 8:54 PM

LTC Jason Mackay — Mon, 11 Sep 2017 20:54:08 -0400

All three of mine are special in their own way. My second deployment was with 4BCT 101st, 506th Infantry Regiment. Like our WWII brothers, we were out numbered and holding the line no matter what. Our line was holding the line in Afghanistan while the surge got everything in Iraq. My first deployment was OIF 1 as the war started in 2003. I was the company commander for TMDE, the first combat deployment of the majority of the unit since ODS. Up until then we deployed a team or two at a time. My last was actually with NATO which makes it different right there.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 11 at 2017 10:05 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 11 Sep 2017 22:05:31 -0400

Afghanistan is 2015. I was a new PL and learned more during that tour than I ever could have at any school. It was a great group of guys to lead. Also Germany a year later for a lot less noble reasons.

Response by CPT Aaron Kletzing made Sep 11 at 2017 10:24 PM

CPT Aaron Kletzing — Mon, 11 Sep 2017 22:24:31 -0400

Well, I only went on one which was OIF from Dec 2007-Feb 2009, so that's my fav I guess!

Response by PO1 Brian Austin made Sep 11 at 2017 10:27 PM

PO1 Brian Austin — Mon, 11 Sep 2017 22:27:16 -0400

Any deployment where we hit Thailand and Australia! And to a lesser extent Singapore.

Response by SGM Mikel Dawson made Sep 11 at 2017 11:39 PM

SGM Mikel Dawson — Mon, 11 Sep 2017 23:39:24 -0400

2001 did Kosovo. I was the NCOIC of the USNSE at NATO HQ. Got to meet and work with many other SNCOs from other NATO countries. There was a NATO supported bar on base, and almost every NSE had an open bar (except the USNSE). Found time to the the DANCON March and the German annual march as well. Both ere about 26 km. Had the Danes treat me like I was one of their own. I had a permanent invite any time, and was given an open bar tab, just had to make sure it was paid every month. I also learned a lot about all our Services as all were represented and I was deeply involved in the running of things.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 12 at 2017 12:54 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 12 Sep 2017 00:54:33 -0400

2005 OIF III, with 3-504 PIR, 82D. Even with two later deployments with 82D, this one was still my favorite to this day. We did a lot of flying, sightseeing, and backpacking through Al Anbar province, and met a lot of interesting people, mostly at night though.

Response by SGT Thomas Raun Jefferson II made Sep 12 at 2017 5:17 AM

SGT Thomas Raun Jefferson II — Tue, 12 Sep 2017 05:17:49 -0400

Oif 2010. I didn't have too much of a family back home, so I had a little more financial freedom.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 12 at 2017 5:55 AM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 12 Sep 2017 05:55:59 -0400

Operation Damayan in 2014 with JTF505. I learned to be ready at a moment's notice because of that. That lesson proved very valuable during Operation Sahayogi Haat.

Response by SGT David T. made Sep 12 at 2017 8:42 AM

SGT David T. — Tue, 12 Sep 2017 08:42:41 -0400

My final one, home lol. In all seriousness, I would have to say the JOTC rotation to Panama was my favorite. Out of all the training events I did, that one was by far the best. Real world deployments I really don't have a favorite since they all pretty much sucked lol.

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Sep 12 at 2017 11:12 AM

CAPT Kevin B. — Tue, 12 Sep 2017 11:12:17 -0400

Easy. Three deployments to Antarctica. Being a newly graduated civil engineer, 23 years old, lots of responsibility, etc. They sent me to blasting school so I could blow things up. Ran the surface SAR stuff and the job mostly had me outside and frequently out of MacTown. Got to design new things and for a kid, had a pile of authority that I didn't see again until 3 promotions later. Lots of other reasons but they all say "unique". The bad part was making the 4th trip to work the recovery operation of the ANZ DC-10 that was flown into Erebus.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 12 at 2017 11:21 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 12 Sep 2017 11:21:38 -0400

Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo. I was part of a ground ambulance team. I got to travel all over the country and to Macedonia and Bosnia.

Response by PO1 James Booker made Sep 12 at 2017 11:37 AM

PO1 James Booker — Tue, 12 Sep 2017 11:37:19 -0400

D-Gar(Diego Garcia). MWR fishing boats for sailfish/marlin etc...sailing in the lagoon, U/A trips to the old coconut plantation and late nights at the "Brit" club. Chicken softball(don't ask) and during Desert Storm I thought the weight of the BUFF's and racks of old inventory bombs to be buried in the sand were going to sink the island!lol!

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 12 at 2017 11:48 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 12 Sep 2017 11:48:31 -0400

Okay so while each of my deployments was memorable none of them could be considered favorites. each had its own troubles and each had its own benefits (I guess you could say).

Response by Lt Col Jim Coe made Sep 12 at 2017 12:00 PM

Lt Col Jim Coe — Tue, 12 Sep 2017 12:00:51 -0400

Deployment meant different things in earlier times in the Services. During the Cold War, a unit might be "deployed" for an exercise or contingency. Deployment for "war" was generally reserved for Vietnam. I come from the Cold War era.

In the C-130 business we were deployed (we called them rotations) to Europe, Asia, and Central America. We provided airlift and airdrop support of all four Services while deployed. We hauled everything from Army anti-aircraft batteries to dependent high school students (my young loadmaster's favorite missions). My favorite deployment, a.k.a. rotation, was to the United Kingdom. Our Squadron deployed to RAF Mildenhall for up to 90 days supporting US Air Forces Europe and US European Command requirements. It was a good location and offered lots of interesting things to do on your days off. Our missions flew all over Europe so we got to see many places. My favorite was an Army support mission from Rein-Main Germany to NAS Souda Bay Crete. If you worked the mission right, you spent the night in Crete enjoying Greek food along the bay where the movie Zorba the Greek was filmed. Then you got up the next morning and did it all over again. Sometimes for a week at a time. Counterbalancing this were the weeks spent in Turkey. Sometimes we were restricted to base because of poor relationships with the Turks. Missions were out-and-backs to intelligence and radar sites around Turkey. The primo missions were to Berlin, Warsaw, and Moscow. These were diplomatic missions supporting US Embassies. Crews were hand picked. The missions to Warsaw and Moscow were flown via Copenhagen and in civilian clothing. The Embassy made sure you safely traveled to your specially selected hotel. You normally had dinner at the Embassy. The flight to Berlin was a carefully controlled out-and-back from Frankfurt.

Response by SSG William Norris made Sep 12 at 2017 12:35 PM

SSG William Norris — Tue, 12 Sep 2017 12:35:07 -0400

My last one.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 12 at 2017 2:10 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 12 Sep 2017 14:10:49 -0400

My second tour to Afghanistan because we are deployed as a unit and we conducted missions as a unit instead of my first tour there where we were split up down to squad level and supported the Provincial Reconstruction Teams (mainly Air force personnel) with civil affairs missions.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 12 at 2017 2:42 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 12 Sep 2017 14:42:13 -0400

That is a hard one, had many good one's all completely different. Too apples and oranges for me.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 12 at 2017 2:54 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 12 Sep 2017 14:54:57 -0400

I would have to say the one where I got to go with my wife. Deployed together and she didn't kill me. SGT Andrew Dejesus probably would say the one where is Father-in-Law was stationed close enough to come check on him. RIGHT? Well? What is your answer SGT Dejesus?

Response by SSgt Bob Mobbs made Sep 12 at 2017 9:41 PM

SSgt Bob Mobbs — Tue, 12 Sep 2017 21:41:05 -0400

Kunsan AB, Korea 74-75. Lots of friendly locals - hell, we even had a massage parlor on base and all the barbers were women. You could get a shave, haircut, manicure and back rub for $3.50. The food in A-Town and Kunsan City was great. We were warned that none of the off base restaurants were approved but when I saw most of the officers coming out of one particular restaurant I figured it was o.k. Large plates of fresh shrimp and scallops along with fries and a quart bottle of beer for $5.00 - couldn't beat it.

Response by SGT Matthew S. made Sep 12 at 2017 10:26 PM

SGT Matthew S. — Tue, 12 Sep 2017 22:26:15 -0400

My first one. We deployed to Baghdad; replacing the guys that came in on the big push. For the first part, we were in charge of a sector there in Baghdad. I was a 19 year-old kid in a foreign land with a motley crew of characters trying to bring law & order to a section of a modern-day/stuck 3,000 years ago Wild West.
After several months of mind-numbing checkpoint rotations, we spent a while occupying a small FOB compound until another unit could move in for a long stint. Just our Platoon, basically on our own and free of what we considered higher-level B.S.
Following that, we spent about a month traveling around between several rinky-dink camps in the middle of nowhere, just the Platoon again and without micromanaging oversight. Free to do our job, and left alone when the work was done. Never again in the Army - and largely in my life - have I experienced such freedom.

Response by PO1 Aaron Baltosser made Sep 12 at 2017 11:31 PM

PO1 Aaron Baltosser — Tue, 12 Sep 2017 23:31:46 -0400

2006-2007 Habbaniyah, Iraq. It was my last. I had a small team to work with, and they were some of the best men I ever had the chance to serve with. I am in contact with them still today. Over a year, it was nice to ponder my career as that was the last time I would ever leave the country on Active Duty. It was interesting to do it that way.

Response by MAJ Tom Hutton made Sep 13 at 2017 4:21 PM

MAJ Tom Hutton — Wed, 13 Sep 2017 16:21:15 -0400

Two stand out - JTF Bravo (see earlier post/reply). Hidden gem if you can get there. It's in the Central Time zone and with either flying the rotator (if that still exists) or out of Tegucigalpa into Houston it's not very far. The other was to Wake Island for a mission to repatriate a ship of Chinese people being trafficked to US. Real world mission in a place rarely visited.

Response by MAJ Raúl Rovira made Dec 28 at 2018 11:05 PM

MAJ Raúl Rovira — Fri, 28 Dec 2018 23:05:17 -0500

Taszar, Hungary. I had so many duties and travels between Hungary, Croatia, Bosnia & Germany. I was a fresh 1LT working mostly independent. All of the senior officers trusted my work.

Response by 1SG Susan Dean made Jul 10 at 2019 10:03 PM

1SG Susan Dean — Wed, 10 Jul 2019 22:03:33 -0400

My tour in Cyprus was very rewarding. I was assigned to the Beirut Airbridge mission.
It was a US State Department mission and greatly HIGH PROFILE. It was definitely NOT
easy but I would not change it for the world!!!

Response by 1SG Susan Dean made Jul 10 at 2019 10:10 PM

1SG Susan Dean — Wed, 10 Jul 2019 22:10:54 -0400

90-91 Iraq Desert Storm of course!! I had no favorite song because I didn’t have the time to listen to music!! But I do remember getting into Garth Brooks. But I guess my favorite would have to be
Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Heard It Though the Grapevine”!! I drove 13 hours listening to that song, passed a lot of Desert, camels, and other convoys!!! But it ended up meaning differently when I
Returned.....

Response by SGT Debbion Welch made Jul 10 at 2019 10:41 PM

SGT Debbion Welch — Wed, 10 Jul 2019 22:41:03 -0400

March 03 to jul 04. Best of times and the worst of times...we paid the price, alot of times we just looked at each other with uncertainty in silence

Response by PO3 Richard Kunzler made Jul 11 at 2019 12:36 AM

PO3 Richard Kunzler — Thu, 11 Jul 2019 00:36:51 -0400

My favorite duty was MAAG Taipei, Taiwan. Wonderful duty, fantastic civilians,
and a very beautiful island.

Response by CPO Wayne Robinson made Jul 11 at 2019 7:19 AM

CPO Wayne Robinson — Thu, 11 Jul 2019 07:19:08 -0400

my second one In patrol squadron seventeen. I made chief petty officer on that one.

Response by PO3 Ricji Ebel made Jul 11 at 2019 7:35 PM

PO3 Ricji Ebel — Thu, 11 Jul 2019 19:35:16 -0400

Getting closer to my home by Grand Funk Railroad because I wanted to go home

Response by PO1 Roger Clites made Jul 11 at 2019 7:45 PM

PO1 Roger Clites — Thu, 11 Jul 2019 19:45:33 -0400

6 Month Deployment to Bermuda as an E-3. I was in the Navy and TAD away feom my P-3 squadron that worked around the click. I worked Mon-Fri 8 hours a day, Fished and drank everyday, one watch a month, got to drink in the shop when called in after hours. It was a 2 man Aviation Hydraulic shop that I ran myself for 2 months.

Response by CW4 Craig Urban made Jul 12 at 2019 9:54 AM

CW4 Craig Urban — Fri, 12 Jul 2019 09:54:25 -0400

South Korea 1970. As a 22-year-old SSG

Response by SCPO Jason McLaughlin made Jul 12 at 2019 1:59 PM

SCPO Jason McLaughlin — Fri, 12 Jul 2019 13:59:25 -0400

USS ESSEX (LHD 2 - 2 on the hull, but second to none) 1996 WESTPAC and Arabian Gulf (6 Months). Port List:
1. Pearl Harbor, Hawaii - 4 days
2. Hong Kong - 4 Days
3. Singapore - 3 Days
4. Phuket, Thailand - 4 Days
5. Kuala Lumpur - 2 Days
6. Dubai, UAE - 4 Days
7. Bahrain - 4 Days
8. Dubai - 4 Days
9. Perth, Australia - 6 Days (Best Port)
10. Sydney, Australia - 8 Days (Thank you for the Typhoon off the coast that kept us there an extra 2 days!)
11. Pearl Harbor, Hawaii - 3 days

For some reason, I did not save nearly the amount of money I thought I was going too.

Response by SSG Herman Bauman made Jul 12 at 2019 4:18 PM

SSG Herman Bauman — Fri, 12 Jul 2019 16:18:48 -0400

My favorite tour was in France. I was a telephone installer and we had no field duty. My off duty time was spent partying with a group of French college kids. I would love to go back and try to find some of them.

Response by Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 6 at 2020 11:25 AM

Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 06 Jun 2020 11:25:03 -0400

Of my 6, my favorite was my first deployment in 2003. We were originally supposed to deploy to Turkey and then push into Northern Iraq, but Turkey wouldn’t let troops in, so they sent us to Rota, Spain for a month and a half until they were able to figure out what to do with us. We then started staging missions out of Sigonella, Sicily then later out of Kuwait... and because the commander of the Army installation didn’t want to have to be responsible for “transient” aircrews coming in and out, we had to stay in the Sheridan in downtown Kuwait City. The missions were hard, rewarding work, but the time in between missions was awesome!

Response by HN Roger Kluthe made Jun 6 at 2020 11:31 AM

HN Roger Kluthe — Sat, 06 Jun 2020 11:31:01 -0400

Only did one Westpac, but I'd have to say either Perth, Western Australia or Horbart, Tasmania were the best port visits out of the seven we had.